Fourth BIMSTEC Summit Kicks Off

Connectivity, key enabler of regional cooperation: PM Oli

Kathmandu, Aug. 30: 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the success of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) would depend on integrated markets, integrated economies and an atmosphere of confidence for level playing field for all the member states, including the landlocked and least developed countries in the region.

“Trade is an engine for economic growth,” he said while delivering opening speech at the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit 2018, here on Thursday.

He stressed on lesser barriers and greater trade facilitations, smooth and uninterrupted transit arrangements, increased flow of goods and services and scaling up of investment among the BIMSTEC countries to make the organisation a success.

The Prime Minister expressed concerns over the nominal intra-regional trade.

“It is unfortunate that we trade little within the region. An early conclusion of the agreements on trade in goods and services, investment, mutual assistance in customs matters, dispute settlement and trade facilitation is the need of hour to enable BIMSTEC to effectively move forward,” he said.

PM Oli said that the region’s success would depend on honest and time-bound implementation of all the instruments that the members signed.

“The world is watching our gathering here today with keen interest. Since it’s a region with 1.6 billion people representing 22 per cent of world population and 2.8 trillion US Dollars economy, our vision, commitment and action will have an impact on global political and economic order. We have assembled here with a solemn commitment to making the Bay of Bengal region peaceful, prosperous and sustainable,” he said.

The 21 year old regional mechanism has seven members – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka.

PM Oli termed connectivity as a key enabler for robust regional cooperation.

“Connectivity -in physical and digital sphere; connectivity of infrastructures and industries; connectivity of markets and minds can unleash multiplier effects igniting innovation; spurring growth; and propelling progress,” he said.

“We need to intensify our investments in the cross-regional transport networks. Better connectivity of roads, railways, airways, waterways will unlock our full potential. It can promote meaningful cooperation in trade and investment, energy, tourism and technology transfer,” he added.

Oli said that an early adoption of the draft BIMSTEC Master Plan on Transport Connectivity and timely conclusion of transport related regional instruments would help advance our cooperation in this critical area.

He also urged the member nations to adopt a charter of the organisation in order to provide it a solid legal foundation.

According to him, the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and BIMSTEC are not the substitute.

“Nepal stands for meaningful regional cooperation. We believe that SAARC and BIMSTEC do not substitute but complement each other. We are also committed to advancing the sub-regional cooperation under BBIN,” he said.

He also said that the success of BIMSTEC would be judged by outcomes it delivers.

A strong political will coupled with right mix of policies, institutions and resources can ensure the success of BIMSTEC, he stated.

This unique platform of BIMSTEC, not only connects our countries, but also connects South Asia with South-East Asia. It connects mountains with oceans, reinforcing ecological interdependence, he said.

According to PM Oli, the regional mechanism is not just a sum of its parts, or sum of the member states, it is also an idea. An idea that deeper integration can unleash the economic dynamism and address the development needs of countries and peoples, and an idea to accelerate social progress and promote collaboration and partnership.

“It can be also an Identity- an identity rooted in rich civilizational heritage, an identity founded on shared values, an identity shaped by common understanding, and an identity based on the unity in diversity,” he said.

“It is also a Destiny- a destiny ordained by the organic linkage of ecosystem between high mountains and deep seas, a destiny shaped by contiguous geography as well as potential of robust people-to-people contacts,” he further added.

He said that the group had a promising potential –with a plethora of opportunities; with rich natural resources, and dynamic and vibrant populations.

He called for the alleviation of poverty in order to lead the region in the path of progress.

“We must liberate our people from the clutches of poverty, the brutal clutches that drag us in a vicious cycle of deprivation – inhumane, unjust and malign – that drains our potential and ridicule our efforts as well as intentions,” said Oli.

He urged the member countries for the full implementation of the BIMSTEC Poverty Plan of Action and suggested leave no one behind while accelerating the economic development.

According to him, disproportionate consequences of climate change have adversely impacted the region. Calamities such as landslides and floods have caused colossal loss.

“To face this challenge, what we need is collective preparedness to prevent the perils of such calamities. We also need to intensify collaboration to adapt to and mitigate the menace of climate change based on the Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities,” he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 31 August 2018. 

Nepal attaches high importance to BIMSTEC: Minister Gyawali

16^th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting

Kathmandu, Aug. 29

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Wednesday that BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was one of Nepal’s foreign policy priorities.

“Nepal attaches great importance to regional cooperation under BIMSTEC,” he said while delivering the opening remarks at the 16^th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting here.

Saying that a regional organisation could flourish only with the stronger commitment of its member states, he underscored the need of an enhanced level of political will to make progress in various priority areas of the regional mechanism.

“This is the time to do away with the business-as-usual approach. We must pursue our goals with renewed vigour in a focused and time-bound manner. We must display our quick collective and firm response to our collective problems,” said Minister Gyawali.

According to him, a sincere pursuit of concerted efforts with a common understanding is required to ensure that deeper integration results in a win-win outcome for all the countries in the region.

He stressed on rationalising the priority areas and concentrating on core economic areas, such as connectivity, trade, tourism, energy and agriculture.

“If we are to achieve regional growth and prosperity, there is a need to deepen rather than broaden and proliferate areas of cooperation under BIMSTEC. Tangible results ensure credibility of our enterprise,” Gyawali said.

He said that connectivity was the enabler, energy the locomotive, technology the accelerator, and investment and trade the drivers of regional growth and prosperity for bringing about structural as well as socio-economic transformation in the region.

These transformative factors of regional growth and prosperity should top the BIMSTEC agenda from now onwards. They can be the game changer in our march to shared prosperity, said the Foreign Minister.

He called for early conclusion of negotiations under the BIMSTEC Free Trade Agreement expressed satisfaction that a master-plan on transport connectivity was being developed, said a MoU on grid interconnections would be signed while calling for defeating terrorism and combating other transnational crimes, Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bharat Raj Poudyal said at a press briefing following the ministerial meeting.

The meeting reviewed the whole gamut of cooperation under the regional mechanism and decided to further consolidate the regional cooperation process.

Secretary-General of BIMSTEC Shahidul Islam updated the meeting about the progress being made to finalise the draft text of Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters, BIMSTEC Motor Vehicle Agreement, BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement, and Trade Facilitation Agreement.

He also reported that efforts were underway to operationalise a BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC) in India and BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF) in Sri Lanka.

According to Islam, the Trade Negotiating Committee held 20 rounds of negotiations to execute the BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement. The BIMSTEC Free Trade Area was signed in 2004.

He said that the BIMSTEC Transport Connectivity Master Plan would be completed by the end of September this year.

The meeting endorsed the reports from the BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) on Tuesday. The foreign ministers also endorsed the text of the draft of the Summit Declaration and recommended it to the leaders of the member states for approval.

“The ministers appreciated the progress achieved in the past, and resolved to take more vigorous steps for more focused implementation of the activities of the organisation,” said Poudyal.

The BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting had the presence of the Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh, Nepal and Thailand Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and Don Pramudvinai respectively, Union Minister for International Cooperation of Myanmar U Kyaw Tin, State Ministers for Foreign Affairs of India and Sri Lanka Gen. Dr. V. K. Singh and Basantha Senanyake and Foreign Secretary of Bhutan Sonam Tshong.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 August 2018. 

ICRC expreses solidarity with the families of missing persons

Kathmandu, Aug. 29: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expressed its solidarity with the families of the missing persons.

“We hope for a comprehensive closure to the Transitional Justice Process in Nepal. This includes your right to know what has happened to your loved ones,” Head of ICRC Mission in Kathmandu Andre Paquet said at a programme organised to mark the International Day of the Disappearance on Wednesday.

He said that the ICRC had been contributing to the implementation of a humanitarian mechanism in favour of the conflict-victims although it restricted itself from interfering in the judicial aspects of the transitional justice process.

Paquet expressed his hope that the extended timeframe of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission (TRC) of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) would bring clarity on the fate of the missing persons.

“We strongly hope that the commissions will invest every effort to give the conflict-victims recognition and compensation, as required by the law,” he said.

Noting that the families of the missing citizens had the right to know the fate of their missing loved ones, he said that they must not wait any longer.

The ICRC, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the Nepal Society of Families of the Disappeared and Missing (NEFAD) marked the International Day of the Disappearance with focus on the right to know.

The international humanitarian law requires that authorities take all feasible measures to account for the missing persons. In that respect, the states are obliged to do everything possible to provide families with answers on their fate of their loved ones, said Paquet.

As per the ICRC records about 1,333 persons are still missing from the conflict time although about 12 years have been passed since the Comprehensive Peace Accord was signed.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 30 August 2018. 

SOM sets agenda for BIMSTEC Summit

Connectivity, poverty alleviation on focus

Kathmandu, Aug. 28: The 19^th Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is concluded on Tuesday with the assessment of reports of various mechanisms working in the areas of connectivity, trade, health, poverty alleviation and crime-control.

The meeting held here considered the reports related to customs cooperation among the member states, connectivity, technology, counter terrorism and transnational crime, agriculture, poverty alleviation, public health and secretariat strengthening, Bharat Raj Poudyal, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), said at a press briefing following the 19^th Session of the SOM.

The SOM has prepared the agenda for the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit 2018 which will be held on Thursday and Friday.

High government officials from the member states of the regional body – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand – participated in the meeting.

The agenda will be further refined and finalised by the BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Wednesday.

Poudyal said that the meeting deliberated on the BIMSTEC priority areas such as Charter of the regional mechanism, transmission line, poverty alleviation, transportation and communication.

The meeting has agreed in principle regarding developing the charter of the organisation. Nepal, current president of the BIMSTEC has proposed to develop the charter.

He also said that BIMSTEC senior officials had agreed to review the 14 priority sector of the initiative. The existing sectors will be integrated, some will be removed and some new areas will be added.

Some of the reports considered by the SOM are Customs cooperation, Transport connectivity, Coastal shipping, BIMSTEC Motor Vehicle Agreement, Establishment of BIMSTEC technology transfer facility, Counter terrorism and transnational crime, Agricultural cooperation, Poverty alleviation and BIMSTEC task force on traditional medicine.

“The meeting also discussed about exploring the possibility of establishing BIMSTEC Development Fund, and initiating process for the developing rules of procedures of BIMSTEC Mechanisms,” said Poudyal.

The 4^th Summit of the regional body will also sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnections.

It will pave the way for further cooperation in energy sector among the member states in the BIMSTEC region. It is also believed that the grid interconnection will provide energy security in the region, share energy among the member states, and facilitate in energy generation and trading in the region.

Meanwhile, President of Myanmar Win Myint arrived Kathmandu on Tuesday. The is the first head of the government to arrive here to participate in the summit. He will participate in the BIMSTEC Summit and pay a bilateral visit to Nepal simultaneously. He is also scheduled to visit Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

This is the high level visit from Myanmar after 1997. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2018.

MoWS wants to monitor bottled water

Kathmandu, Aug. 28: The Ministry of Water Supply (MoWS) on Tuesday said that the regulation of bottled water production companies should be under its jurisdiction.

“Multiple inspections and monitoring have shown that the bottled water lack quality, and it’s the MoWS that has to face the criticism from people. In order to ensure the desired quality in the water products, the MoWS should have the right to monitor and punish the guilty,” said Minister for Water Supply Bina Magar at the meeting of the Development and Technology Committee (DTC).

Previous monitoring had concluded that as much as 80 per cent of the jar water was unsuitable to drink.

Currently, the water industries are registered and regulated under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply while the Department of Commerce, Supply and Protection of Consumers (DoCSPC) and Department of Food Technology and Quality Control are the monitoring and inspection agencies.

The minister also questioned the branding of the bottled water.

“So far as I know, they don’t actually have any minerals but are sold as mineral water. There must be some standards to be called as the ‘mineral water’, and the government will develop such standards,” she said.

The DTC directed the ministry to prepare the quality standard of drinking water to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to everyone as per the fundamental rights included in the Constitution.

The committee has also directed to make the provision of providing Nepal Standard to the drinking water supplier based on its purity and quality.

The lawmakers urged the ministry to manage safe drinking water at the office of every local government and, if possible, in all government offices.

They said that the people should not be forced to buy drinking water while in the government offices.

Meanwhile, the DTC directed the MoWS to complete the Melamchi Water Supply Project within the stipulated deadline.

Stating that frequent postponement of the dates to supply drinking water from the Melamchi project to the Kathmandu Valley has raised questions over the trustworthiness of the government, the committee directed the ministry to address the problems faced by the project and complete it within the stipulated time.

The project was, the last time, stipulated to be completed in October this year before the Dashain festival.

Earlier, the project postponed the deadline of its completion several times in different pretexts.

In today’s meeting, the committee Chairman Jip Chhiring Lama also directed the ministry to formulate a long-term strategy by making the demand assessment of drinking water and managing resources to address the long-term demand.

To address the high demand of drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley, the committee directed the government to focus on the sub-project of Melamchi Drinking Water to add 340 million litres extra water from the Yangri and Larke rivers.

Similarly, the committee also directed the ministry to submit the condition of sewage system in Kathmandu and its management in 15 days after bringing the water from Melamchi to Kathmandu.

The committee also directed for the effective implementation of the Water Sector Development Plan, 2016.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2018. 

'Public education system needs overhaul'

Kathmandu, Aug. 28: Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel has said that the public education system in Nepal needed an overhaul.

“To achieve this, we need to draw a new pool of talented individuals into teaching from various fields in order to have a long-term, systematic impact on education inequality,” he said at a programme organised by the Teach for Nepal (TFN) to honour its contributors on Monday.

He appreciated the TFN and said that its fellows were working relentlessly to teach Nepali children and prepare them for the world.

“To know that our country's financial institutions and corporations are contributing to improving education in Nepal gives me immense pleasure,” he said.

"Support of various banks and corporations towards the Teach For Nepal movement is not only supporting the students of rural parts of Nepal, but it is also creating great citizens who will be taking a human-centered approach to the challenges we are facing in our nation," said Anil Keshary Shah, Teach For Nepal's Leadership council member and CEO of Nabil Bank.

Teach For Nepal movement was launched in 2013 to address educational inequality in Nepal. One of its first initiatives has been to establish a programme to recruit high achieving graduates and young professionals into teaching Fellowship.

This initial Fellowship provides an initial intensive residential training followed by two years on-the-job training for new Fellows in the classroom.

Now in its sixth year, the movement has achieved support from various banks, corporations, and local governments. The movement has shown strong results based on a number of assessments.

TFN felicitated Nepal Investment Bank, Everest Bank, Nepal Bangladesh Bank, Machhapuchchhre Bank, Agricultural Development Bank, Laxmi Bank, Sanima Bank, Panchakanya Group, Surya Nepal Pvt. Ltd. and HH Bajaj for their support.

"In the coming years, we look forward to serving an additional number of schools and continuing to work in partnership with the government, schools corporates and our supporters to help reduce educational inequality in Nepal,” Chief Executive Office of TFN Shisir Khanal said.  

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2018. 

Families of missing have right to know about their loved ones

Kathmandu, Aug. 28:

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that the families of the missing citizens had the right to know the fate of their missing loved ones.

The ICRC, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the Nepal Society of Families of the Disappeared and Missing (NEFAD) focus on the right to know for this year’s International Day of the Disappeared, they said in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

They are observing the International Day of the Disappeared on Wednesday.

This year's event will include a theatre performance titled 'The Waiting Eyes' and the unveiling of the publication called ‘Missing Persons in Nepal: Updated list 2018’.

“There will also be an interactive session dedicated to the members of the families of missing persons in Nepal. The 20-minute theatre performance will focus on the difficulties, struggle and the needs of the families of the missing persons through a representative family,” said the ICRC.

Likewise, the ‘Missing Persons in Nepal: Updated list 2018’ is a joint publication of the ICRC and the NRCS and contains updated list of 1333 people, who are still missing in connection with the decade-long (1996 - 2006) internal armed conflict in Nepal.

This list has been published annually since 2007.

André Paquet, Head of ICRC mission in Nepal said, “We strongly hope that the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will make every effort to give the victims and the families some long-awaited answers”.

He said that people had the right to know what has happened to their missing relatives.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2018. 

Chandannath to host Investment Promotion Conference

Kathmandu, Aug. 26:

Chandannath Municipality in Jumla district is organising an investment promotion conference in order to attract investment in the remote district of Karnali Province.

The one-day conference being organised on 14 September will be the first ever programme organised in any local unit to promote investment in the country.

“We are organising an investment summit for the first time at the local level. Though it is being organised at the initiation of Chandannath Municipality, the conference aims at promoting investment in the whole of Jumla district as well as for the development and progress of the entire Karnali Province,” Mayor of Chandannath Kantika Sejuwal said at a press conference organised in Kathmandu to announce the conference on Sunday.

The event will be organised at the Karnali Technical School of Jumla.

According to Sejuwal, the conference has high symbolic meaning in the Karnali region, which has long remained underdeveloped and is lagging behind in Human Development Index and physical infrastructure creation.

“As the country has moved to the federal structure, the local governments have a responsibility of creating equal opportunities for the people, offering effective and easy services and creating quality development initiative, therefore, we need more resources as well as employment opportunities for the people,” she said.

Finance Minister Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada will address the conference, which will also witness deliberations from the vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Pushpa Kandel and Member Min Bahadur Shahi.

Sejuwal said that businessmen and industrialists, high-government officials and representatives of banks and financial institutions will participate in the conference.

The conference will hold intensive discussion on the investment opportunities in Jumla while experts will present papers on the potential of agriculture, tourism and non-forest products sectors.

“We hope that the interested investors will make a basic observation about the investment potential in Jumla,” said Sejuwal.

The conference is being organised with the theme ‘Exhibition of Development Capacity’, and is supported by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on August 27, 2018. 

Govt completes DPR of model tourism destinations

Kathmandu, Aug. 25: The government has completed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of ‘Model Tourism Destinations’ in seven provinces, one each in every province.

The DPR of Sandakpur in Ilam district, Janakpur in Dhanusha, Indrasarobar in Makwanpur, Panchase in Kaski, Niglihawa in Kapilbastu, Rara in Mugu and Bhadagaun in Kailali is completd, said the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA).

According to the ministry, as the country is planning to receive 2 million tourists by 2020, there is a need of more tourism products and destinations to cater to the need of the growing number of tourists.

The ministry said that the government would provide support to those locations to develop required tourism infrastructure and other facilities in the area.

“The master plan for the development of the model tourism destinations has been completed and infrastructure development work will begin soon in those areas,” said Ghanashyam Upadhyaya, Spokesperson of the MoCTCA.

He said that the construction of infrastructure would begin in the current fiscal year 2018/19.

Department of Tourism will work as the focal agency in developing the model tourism destinations and the Nepal Tourism Board will support in the promotional campaigns.

According to the ministry, the local bodies and provincial governments can be included in the development initiatives.

Earlier this month, the ministry had announced to develop 100 new tourism destinations across the country by 2021/22, with at least an attraction in a district.

It had also said that master plans at various religious and tourist destinations such as Lumbini, Rara, Muktinath, Khaptad, Swargadwari and Janakpur would be completed within the next five years.

The ministry has planned to mobilise all the state agencies and provincial governments to complete the master plans at these locations.

It is        said that the development of new destinations would expand the tourism industry across the country and contribute in creating employment and support to strengthen local economy.

The tourism industry in the country is largely confined to Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini and Mountain Trekking Routes such as Annapurna Circuit, Langtang and Everest Base Camp.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 August 2018. 

NFTA demands scrapping letter provision

Kathmandu, Aug. 25: Nepal Foreign Trade Association (NFTA) has demanded scrapping the provision requiring a letter from the Embassy of Nepal in New Delhi for Nepali citizen traveling to the third country via India.

Saying that the provision has created trouble on the part of the businessmen as they need to manage extra time to obtain the letter, businessmen have requested the association to make initiation to remove it.

They made the request at the 39^th Annual General Assembly of the NFTA here.

Former President of the NFTA Satish Kumar More said that all the business associations should come together to push forward the interest and rights of the business community.

Former President Lok Manya Golchha also said that there were many complexities in the legal instruments governing the business sector, and the business associations should make combined efforts to address those intricacies.

President of the association Him Bahadur Rawal said that the NFTA was lobbying for Business Passport for the reputed business personalities.

Published in The Rising Nepal on 26 August 2018. 

Nepal proposes BIMSTEC charter development

Kathmandu, Aug. 24: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said on Friday that Nepal has proposed developing a charter for the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).

The regional mechanism, which was established 21 years ago, still does not have a charter to institutionalise cooperation among its seven members – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

A plan to establish thematic regional centres is also in the offing, Gyawali said at a press conference organised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Singha Durbar.

He said that the government had given final shape to the Kathmandu Declaration of BIMSTEC Summit 2018, being organised on the theme ‘Towards a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region’.

“All the preparations for the Summit have been completed except for some small works. The Summit declaration and other agenda have been finalised and documented,” he said.

According to him, the BIMSTEC Summit will be attended by the Presidents of Myanmar and Sri Lanka -- Win Myint and Maithripala Sirisena -- and the Prime Ministers of India, Bangladesh and Thailand -- Narendra Modi, Sheikh Hasina and Prayut Chan-o-cha respectively.

Chief Advisor of the Interim Government in Bhutan Tshering Wangchuk will represent his country at the Summit.

All the chief executives will be accompanied by their foreign ministers and delegations.

Myanmar's President Myint will arrive Kathmandu on August 28 while Sirisena and Wangchuck will arrive on 29, and Modi and Chan-o-cha and Hasina will land here on August 30.

“Myint and Sirisena are also on bilateral visit to Nepal during their arrival for the Summit. Both of them will hold separate bilateral meetings with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and go on a pilgrimage to Lumbini in separate visits,” said Gyawali.

Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Modi will hold bilateral meeting with PM Oli. Nepal and India are likely to ink an agreement on Railway Cooperation, which also includes the movement of Nepali ‘bulk cargo’ through india.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari is scheduled to meet the leaders of BIMSTEC member countries on August 30, the first day of the fourth BIMSTEC Summit, at a luncheon at Shital Niwas, the President’s Office.

PM Oli will inaugurate the Summit at the Soaltee Hotel in the afternoon on the same day. He will also host a dinner with a cultural programme for the high dignitaries the same evening.

The leaders will go for a retreat in the morning of August 31 and sign the Kathmandu Declaration.

Prior to the Summit, the Nineteenth Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) and Sixteenth Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC will be held on August 28 and 29 respectively in Kathmandu.

The SOM will deliberate on the Summit Agenda and Declaration, and make amendments if required, and the ministers will give final shape to it.

“Transport and communication connectivity, poverty alleviation, investment, trade and tourism, climate change and sustainability and security will be the major areas on which the leaders and delegations will be deliberating during the Summit and meetings,” said FM Gyawali.

He said that the member countries will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection.

The 17^th session of the BIMSTEC Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) held in Kathmandu in February 2017 had expressed their readiness to sign the MoU at the third Energy Ministers’ Meeting in March this year. But it couldn’t be signed during the ministers’ meeting.

The MoU will facilitate other BIMSTEC countries to import hydropower from Myanmar and exchange power.

This deal is in line with the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation, which aims to set up a South Asian Regional Grid for cross-border power trade.

Meanwhile, speaking at a talk programme on ‘BIMSTEC: Connecting South and Southeast Asia’, organised by Centre for South Asian Studies in Kathmandu, Foreign Minister Gyawali said that the importance of BIMSTEC lay in connecting these two regions for the shared benefit and prosperity of the peoples of the Bay of Bengal region.

“BIMSTEC is well positioned to make notable contributions towards advancing regional connectivity, linking SAARC and ASEAN. For a landlocked country like Nepal, BIMSTEC carries more significance. It bears the prospects for propelling economic growth by connecting the hinterlands of the Himalayas to the ports of Bay of Bengal,” he said.

According to him, BIMSTEC will create a linkage between the south Asian and east Asian countries.

Nepal assumed the chairmanship of BIMSTEC after its third Summit meeting held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, in March 2014.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 August 2018. 

Varanasi: Confluence Of Religion, Education And Tourism

Several decades ago, for Nepali people Banaras was synonymous with education. It was the nearest and most popular education destination for every Nepali who wanted to pursue higher education, obviously in Sanskrit and Vedic Philosophy. It is now called Varanasi and has also earned fame as one of the major destinations of religious tourism in India.

The city got its name 'Varanasi' from the two rivers – Varuna and Assi - that created border to the old city which is located on the northern banks of the Ganges River. It is also known as 'Kashi' and is believed to be founded by Lord Shiva. 

The city had undergone a cultural revival during Mughal emperor Akbar's time. Though he was a Muslim ruler, he constructed two magnificent temples dedicated to gods Shiva and Bishnu. Maratha and Brahmin rulers who succeeded Akbar continued to develop the city. At present, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is elected from Varanasi. Modi has initiated a rapid development process to modernise the city with wider roads, underground sewerage system and cleaner Ganges. Locals said that even the narrow allays in the old city are being expanded. 

A priest at the Bishwa Nath Temple said that the narrow lane to the temple will be widened in the near future and the municipal authorities have already started compensation distribution to the houses that fall on the right side of the road.

From Varuna to Assi, there are about 84 Ghats spanning about 7 kilometres. Built by kings of various states of India in the middle ages, the Ghats are beautifully constructed and decorated. Unlike other holy rivers, the cremation of the dead is not allowed in all Ghats in Varanasi which has helped to keep the river bank and water both clean. 

Manikarnika and Harishchandra are the two Ghats where cremation is allowed. Manikarnika Ghat features an eternal fire which is never put off. At least a pyre is always burning here. More than 250 people are cremated here daily.

Things to do

In recent times, Aarati on the banks of Ganges has become the topmost attraction for the visitors along with the Bishwa Nath Temple. Tourist guide Dipak Kumar Sahani said that every tourist wanted to see these two things. Ganga Aarati is observed by more than 10,000 people every evening. There are dances and cultural exhibitions as well. Occasionally, a cultural team of Nepal also performs here. Though Aarati is performed at about seven locations, Dashashwamedh Ghat is the main attraction.

Banarasi Saree can be a perfect souvenir for the tourists to take back home. A handmade embroidered saree costs from INR 5,000 to 100,000. However, machine woven sarees come at cheaper rates. Don't forget to take a trip to a handloom and observe weavers preparing saree. Multiple cooperatives have been formed to preserve the small entrepreneurs. They run attractive showrooms in Varanasi and Sarnath where you can buy sarees and other silk materials at concessional rates. 

Mohammad Munir, an artisan, said that since Banarasi silk products have been their pride, they want to preserve it even though it is less attractive economically. Although Mughal rulers promoted the silk products as one of the major products of Varanasi, people of every caste are involved in this business, said Raj Dube, an owner of Handloom Company and member of a cooperative.

Also don't forget to taste Banarasi Paan and sweets. Banarasi Paan is glorified in many Bollywood cinemas such as 'Khaike Paan Banaras Wala …' from Amitabh Bachchhan starred blockbuster 'Don'. Sankatmochan Temple, New Bishwa Nath Temple, Durga Temple, Parshvanath Jain Temple – dedicated to Jain's 23^rd Thirthankara born in Varanasi, Banaras Hindu University, Bharat Mata Mandir and Tulsi Manas Mandir are other major sites to visit.

Bodh Gaya, where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment, lies about 250 kms away from Varanasi. If you plan to visit the world famous sacred site, you need to spend a day and a night there. It takes about 5-6 hours to travel to Bodh Gaya. The Bothi Tree under which enlightenment dawned on Buddha is still preserved where hundreds of devotees and monks pray. Bodh Gaya also features other attractions such as Thai Temple, Mahabodhi Temple, Giant Buddha Statue, Bhutanese Monastery and Nippon Japanese Temple.

Bodh Gaya

Similarly, Sarnath is about 15 kms away from Varanaasi. The place where Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment is a must visit place where you can enjoy different temples, Ashoka piller, giant stupa, museum and other temples.

Travel

Varanasi can be reached by using bus, train and air service. If you want to travel via road, you have to reach Birgunj and then Raxaul or Bhairahawa and then Gorakhpur or any other nearest Indian railway station to catch a train. It would be better to reserve the train early to get better accommodation, as you might be travelling to hotter places, booking seat in the A/C compartment of a train would be better. Never travel in the general compartment since there are chances that you might be squeezed among the daily local commuters. Comfortable bus service is also available from bordering Indian cities and towns to Varanasi.  

Recently Buddha Air has launched direct air service from Kathmandu to Varanasi. The twice a week to and fro flight is designed in a way that you can have enough time to visit Varanasi, Bodh Gaya and Sarnath. The flights are scheduled on Monday and Thursday evening. 

Sarnath

You can fly to Varanasi on Monday evening and return on Thursday or go there on Thursday and come back on Monday. Buddha Air said that the direct flight services were started to connect the two ancient cities in Nepal and India and famous pilgrimage sites such as the Ganges, Bishwo Nath in Varanasi to Pashupati and Swayambhu in Kathmandu.

Though you can visit Varanasi and Bodh Gaya anytime a year, since the mercury goes as high as 46 degrees in summer, Octobar-December and March-April will be the best time to visit. Santosh Nepal, a Nepali student studying Masters' in Varanasi said that the heritage city witnesses the largest number of domestic and foreign tourists the month of November.

Lumbini

Foreign tourists who come to Varanasi and visit Bodh Gaya and Sarnath should include Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha in Nepal, in their itinerary. Lumbini is 326 kilometres from Varanasi and takes 8 to 9 hours ride to reach there. 

Apart from Indian nationals, other foreigners should obtain a visa to enter Nepal but there is on-arrival visa facility for people of many countries around the world. You should check with the Nepali mission in your country to ensure the availability of the facility. If you are coming to Nepal via India for multi-day visit, you can fly directly to Kathmandu and visit Lumbini afterwards.

Nepal connection

There is a mini Nepal in Varanasi which includes students, scholars, monks, traders and priests. Of the seven young priests performing Ganga Aarati at the Dashaswamegh Ghat, three are Nepali. This tradition is in practice since the Aarati was started about three decades ago.

Local tourist guide Dipak Kumar Sahani said that the priests or Brahmins are called from Nepal for the ritual performance. Many religious sites and temples in India have Nepali Brahmin priests while famous religious sites in Nepal such as Pashupatinath have Indian priests. This cultural and religious exchange has contributed to deeper people-to-people relationship between the two countries.

A weaver 

Santosh Nepal, a youth from Taplejung district of Nepal, performs Aarati at the Dashaswamegh Ghat every evening. He is accompanied by Pawan Sharma and Ramesh Poudel. "I am here for the last 12 years. Currently I am pursuing my Acharya (Masters' Degree) studies. It is an amazing experience to be a part of the famous religious ritual. We earn prestige and money both," said Nepal. 

Most of the Nepali young priests at the religious sites and performing religious activities are the students of Banaras Hindu University, Sampurnananda University or other education institutions studying Sanskrit or eastern philosophy or Vedas.

Similarly, Nepali priests are appointed at the Nepal-made Pashupatinath Temple and many other temples and shrines. Raj Kumar Pandey, a student from Syangja district and doing Diploma in Astrology, was found at the counter of Nepal Tourism Board maintained at the Pashupatinath Temple. 

He said that there were many traders who sold Nepali and Indian goods in the local markets. The Pashupatinath Temple is built nearby the famous Lalita Ghat, also known as Nepali Ghat. King Rana Bahadur Shah had started the construction of Lalita Ghat and Pashupatinath Temple while he took exile in Varanasi from 1800 to 1804 but his son Girwan Yuddha Bikram Shah completed the structures. Rana Bahadur Shah had given himself the title of 'Swami Nirgunanda' during his exile in the holy city.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily's Friday Supplement on 24 August 2018.